“I’ve always just been like a shiny, singing, 5-6-7-8, sexy-dance…sexy thing," Ariana said. "But now it’s like, ‘OK … issa bop — but issa message. Issa bop but also has chunks of my soul in it. Here you go. Also, I cried 10 hundred times in the session writing it for you. Here is my bleeding heart, and here is a trap beat behind it.’"

Ari also shared that Pharrell Williams produced half of the album. The legendary producer was instrumental in pushing the "No Tears Left to Cry" singer to show fans another side of her personal life and struggles.

"There are parts of my life that they [fans] would love to know about and hard times that I have been dealing with for the past year-and-a-half that they deserve to know about because they love me endlessly and care," she said. "I don't want to hide any pain from them because I can relate to their pain. Why not be in it together?"

According to the cover story, Sweetener will be released in July. Read the entire interview at The Fader.